Arsenal set themselves up for long-term success with January business
Arsenal were one of the most active clubs in Europe during the January transfer window, but did they come out ahead?
It’s been one of the busiest transfer windows in recent memory for Arsenal, who head into the final months of the season with a seemingly new identity. Long-term Gunners such as Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott moved away from the Emirates, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan arrived. Did the Gunners come out of January better off than before?
In the short-term, no. As fans witnessed against Swansea, the problem with this team is largely at the back. Although there were murmurs of a late push for Chelsea’s David Luiz, Arsenal didn’t add anybody to the back line. The Gunners have conceded 34 goals this season, the same number as last-place West Brom, and only two fewer than the other two sides currently in the relegation zone, Swansea and Southampton. While it’s been nice to see Nacho Monreal getting on the scoresheet lately, Arsenal fans would surely rather see a sound defensive performance.
Because the Gunners failed to address the blatant issue with the defense, it seems as if they’ll continue to struggle. The sort of self-destructive performance they produced at Swansea on Tuesday has been a feature of their season. Excellent players though they are, fitting Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil into the same XI is unlikely to make Arsenal harder to break down.
However, the long-term picture is considerably more promising. In terms of setting themselves up for future success, Arsenal did a fantastic job in the January transfer window. Not only did they sign a proven goalscorer in Aubameyang, the Gunners also managed to swap Sanchez, who would have left for nothing in the summer, for Mkhitaryan, who is under contract for three and a half years.
Mkhitaryan brings creativity into the midfield. At top form, he’s one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League. He’ll ease a bit of the pressure on Mesut Ozil. Not to mention, he’ll be able to connect with a former Dortmund teammate in Aubameyang once again. Ozil, Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan (not to mention Alexandre Lacazette) could form one of the most lethal front threes in Europe.
In addition to Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan, the Gunners extended Ozil’s contract. Securing Ozil means the Gunners no longer have to worry about the speculation and can officially put the exodus rumors behind them. With Ozil tied down, Arsenal are set for the next few seasons. After all, having a world class midfielder never hurts, does it? Now Wenger can focus on getting Ozil to show up in big matches and play with more consistency. Although the move flew under the radar, it was one of the most important of the window.
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Whether or not Lacazette is still the man of the future for Arsenal remains to be seen. His dip in form has raised some eyebrows around the Emirates. However, the Gunners were able to bring in Aubameyang, a proven goalscorer. Even though it meant giving up Giroud, Aubameyang will fit right in in north London.
Overall Arsenal had a fantastic transfer window. Given the circumstances, the Gunners worked the market to perfection. They have some world class defenders. If they can find a greater balance, they should be considered one of the favorites in the Europa League. While it’s unlikely Arsenal finish inside the top four in the Premier League, they’ll remain top four challengers in future years due to the moves they made during the last few weeks.